Indian Immunologicals Ltd (IIL) has joined hands with the Central Institute of Brackishwater Aquaculture (CIBA) to develop a commercial vaccine for Viral Nervous Necrosis (VNN) in finfish. This disease causes high mortality rates in young fish andcan be transmitted from adults to offspring.

India is the world’s third-largest fish producer, with over 65 per cent of its fish coming from inland fisheries and aquaculture. However, the disease is a significant constraint to aquaculture, causing an estimated $10 billion in annual losses globally.

IIL, set up by the National Dairy Development Board in 1982, ventured into the aqua business in 2022, launching products for pond and gut management. It has announced partnerships with other ICAR institutes to develop fish vaccines.

IIL Managing Director K Anand Kumar, said the company was the first in the country to develop fish vaccines and was working on solutions for various fish species and culture conditions.

Currently, there are no commercially available fish vaccines in India, and infections are managed with anti-infectives and other conventional measures. However, concerns about antimicrobial resistance and demand for chemical-free food are driving the need for better control measures, such as vaccines.

Aquaculture in the country suffers economic losses due to infections caused by several bacterial, viral, fungal, and other aetiological agents. At present, these infections are being managed by anti-infectives and other conventional measures with varying degrees of success

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